as in to tease
to attack repeatedly with mean put-downs or insults
the principal reminded the student athletes that taunting their opponents was not showing good sportsmanship
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in jeer
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of taunt
Barry Levitt, Time, 7 May 2026
The first episode did capture fans taunting Williams on the road for his past, as well as a clip of him in front of a courthouse three years ago.
—Joe Davidson
may 7, Sacbee.com, 7 May 2026
Gail Sheehy, Vanity Fair, 20 Feb. 2026
Tkachuk was also caught on a live mic, giving German and Edmonton star Leon Draisaitl the taunt of the Olympics.
—Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for taunt
Verb
Hide and Seek follows a new string of murders featuring a dangerous stalker who kidnaps their victims before killing them, taunting them via text in the format of a popular Danish children’s counting rhyme (though the words chosen by the killer are far more violent).
—Barry Levitt, Time, 7 May 2026
The first episode did capture fans taunting Williams on the road for his past, as well as a clip of him in front of a courthouse three years ago.
—Joe Davidson
may 7, Sacbee.com, 7 May 2026
Noun
That taunt came from the boys playing in Happy Hearts Park.
—Gail Sheehy, Vanity Fair, 20 Feb. 2026
Tkachuk was also caught on a live mic, giving German and Edmonton star Leon Draisaitl the taunt of the Olympics.
—Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for taunt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for taunt
Verb
-
All the thespian’s chemistry felt less like castmates promoting a production and more like siblings teasing one another out of deep affection.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
18 May 2026
-
Rumors are flying that Google will unveil or tease its Gemini 4 AI model — and that's a big deal because the introduction of Gemini 3 in November was a huge success and sent shares rallying .—
Zev Fima,Kevin Stankiewicz,
CNBC,
17 May 2026
Noun
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The jeers were not heard at home thanks to the sound-selecting tech that replaces the boos with artificial cheers.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2026
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But when the nation’s total score of 343 was announced, there were loud boos and jeers from the crowd in Austria.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
16 May 2026
Verb
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Huxley might easily have written a simpler novel glorifying intellectuals while mocking Stoyte’s greed and indifference to suffering.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 May 2026
-
The reflections and depth of artistry were mocked.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
Noun
-
While some celebrants have greeted these caricatures with cathartic jeers and sneers, others are shocked and outraged.—
Tim Brinkhof,
JSTOR Daily,
1 Apr. 2026
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From the sneer of Billy Idol to the smooth sashaying of Sade, the 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominees amplify the institution’s commitment to recognizing a diverse slate.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The blowout loss would’ve been enough agony, but there were injuries to match the insult.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
19 May 2026
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Adding insult to injury, Hasna accuses Meriem of using her body to get a cushier, better paying job as maid inside the boss’ luxurious home.—
Jay Weissberg,
Variety,
19 May 2026
Noun
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The casual references to him as a billionaire, however, is one gibe that Lamont laughs off.—
Mark Pazniokas,
Hartford Courant,
13 Apr. 2026
-
In the final race, when Canfield was vying with Slingsby for the lead at the first turning mark, the Australians foiled through their first jibe and into a commanding lead.—
Andrew Rice,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Niven’s quip lives on in Oscars history.—
Lisa Gutierrez,
Kansas City Star,
14 May 2026
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Kim Kardashian recovered from being booed for about 15 seconds upon taking the podium to receiving big laughs and applause for some of her quips.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Still, the state supreme court opinion is not an affront to constitutional or democratic logic.—
Noah Feldman,
Mercury News,
15 May 2026
-
Still, the state supreme court opinion is not an affront to constitutional or democratic logic.—
Noah Feldman,
Twin Cities,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Taunt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taunt. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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